1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric oven, and more particularly, to an electric oven that can prevent foreign matter from entering into a door through a cooling air opening formed on an inner portion of the door.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electric oven is generally used for baking or cooking food using heat generated by a heating source provided in a compartment. The electric oven is generally a stand-alone type of electric oven or a built-in type of electric oven. The stand-alone type of electric oven is independently installed at a location, and the built-in type of electric oven has a compartment unit which is inserted into a wall or a cabinet.
A conventional electric oven includes a compartment defining a cooking chamber or cavity therein, and a door pivotally mounted on a front portion of the compartment.
The door has a plurality of glass panels spaced apart from each other in a front-to-rear direction. Air is introduced into cooling channels or spaces defined between the glass panels. A door cooling air opening or hole is formed on an upper inner portion of the door, so that the air introduced into the cooling channels or spaces between the glass panels can be exhausted through the door cooling opening. A duct and a fan member are provided on an upper portion of the compartment in order to suck the air exhausted through the door cooling opening.
The air exhausted through the door cooling hole is introduced into the duct through a hole formed on the front portion of the compartment. The air introduced into the duct is exhausted toward the front of the compartment.
The door is configured to open by pivoting frontward about a lower portion of the compartment. Therefore, when a user intends to insert food into, or remove food from, the compartment, the user pulls the door forward to pivot to a horizontal state. The door cooling hole formed on an inner portion of the door faces upward in a exposed condition when the door is in such an opened position.
In this condition, foreign matter, such as juice or food particles, may fall into the door cooling hole. The foreign matter falling into the door cooling hole may be introduced inside of the door. When the door is closed again, the foreign matter may flow down along the air channels or passages defined between the glass panels. Such foreign matter or food particles remain inside the door, causing an offensive odors and sanitary problems.